1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a music game system for executing games intended to be played in time with music.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a music game system in which a player is instructed to operate an input device in time with music for simulating a DJ (disk jockey) and performance on various musical instruments has become popular. Music is an important element in this type of game system, and the number of stored tunes has a comparatively large influence on the value of the game system.
In the music game system mentioned above, data for reproducing the music is stored in one of various types of memory media, from which it is supplied to the system. In arcade game devices for business and game devices for home, media having a comparatively large capacity, for example a magnetic memory medium such as a hard disk, or an optical memory medium such as a CD-ROM, are used as the memory media. However, in a compact game system such as a portable game device, in consideration of space and costs, a semiconductor memory having a small memory capacity in comparison with a magnetic memory medium and the like is generally used as the memory device for data and programs for the game. As a consequence, when attempting to executing a music game on a portable game device, the number of stored tunes is limited, lowering the attraction of the game. Furthermore, although a characteristic of a music game is that the player can improve his play by repeating playing the same tune, the downside of this is that he may eventually be bored.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a music game system in which limited music data are used effectively to raise the attraction of the game.
The present invention will be explained below. To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the following explanation uses the reference numerals in parenthesis of the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the aspects shown in the drawings.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a music game system comprising an input device (4) having a plurality of operation members (5), for outputting signals in correspondence with operation states of the operation members; a memory device (30a) in which are stored music data (D1) for reproducing a plurality of tunes, and timing data (D3) of each tune defining a procedure for operating the operation members in correspondence with tunes reproduced based on the music data; a display device (24, 3) for displaying a game screen (100); a music reproduction device (26, 32) for reproducing the music data; and a game controller (20) for controlling the reproduction of a predetermined tune by the music reproduction device, and using the display device to guide the player in an operation procedure of the input device in correspondence with the reproduced tune. The game controller comprises a medley tune control device for making the music reproduction device reproduce a medley tune comprising linked parts of at least two of the multiple tunes, and guides the operation procedure of the input device in correspondence with the medley tune, based on timing data corresponding to each part of the medley tune.
According to this invention, a separate medley tune is formed by linking parts of existing tunes together, thereby enabling the number of tunes to be virtually increased without adding music data and timing data corresponding thereto, increasing the attraction of the game.
A second aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the first aspect, wherein the memory device (30a) stores judgement information (T1) for judging a relationship between the reproduction sequence of multiple blocks (A1 to AX, B1 to BX, . . . N1 to NX) selected from music data corresponding to the multiple tunes as constituent elements of the medley tune, and addresses of the blocks in the memory device; and the medley tune control device (20) reads music data for reproducing the medley tune from the memory device based on the judgement information, outputs it to the music reproduction device, and guides the player in an operation procedure in accordance with timing data corresponding to the music data.
This invention is suitable for a case when the multiple blocks comprising the medley tune are specified beforehand together with their reproduction sequence, enabling the data of the blocks comprising the medley tune to be easily read in compliance with their reproduction sequence merely by referring to the judgement information.
A third aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the first aspect, wherein the memory device (30a) stores a first judgement information (T2) for judging types of multiple blocks (A1 to AX, B1 to BX . . . N1 to NX) selected from music data corresponding to the multiple tunes as potential constituent elements of the medley tune, and for judging addresses of the blocks in the memory device, and a second judgement information (D5) for judging a relationship between a reproduction sequence of blocks forming the medley tune and the types of the blocks. The medley tune control device (20) comprises a type identifying device for identifying types of the blocks forming the medley tune for each reproduction sequence, based on the second judgement information; a block extracting device for extracting blocks corresponding to the types identified by the type identifying device from the music data corresponding to the multiple tunes each, based on the first judgement information; and a data reading device for reading the music data in the extracted blocks in compliance with the reproduction sequence and outputting the music data to the music reproduction device, and in addition, reading timing data corresponding to the output music data and guiding the player in an operation procedure in line with the data.
This invention does not directly specify the blocks comprising the medley tune, but only specifies their types, whereby a single block can be freely selected from multiple blocks of matching type in a single reproduction sequence, achieving greater freedom of selecting the block. Therefore, the constitution of the medley tune can be changed, preventing the player from feeling bored with the medley tune and holding his or her interest in the game system over a long period of time.
A fourth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the third aspect, wherein the first judgement information comprises information relating to musical characteristics of the blocks as the types. Consequently, the musical characteristics of the medley tune can be specified beforehand. For example, when the information relating to musical characteristics comprises information relating to performance codes of the blocks, as in a fifth aspect of the invention, a medley tune having characteristics corresponding to the progression of the performance codes can be provided to the player.
A sixth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the third aspect, the first judgement information comprising information relating to a level of difficulty of an operation procedure guided based on timing data corresponding to blocks as the types. In this case, the level of difficulty of the medley tune can be specified beforehand.
A seventh aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the sixth aspect, wherein the game controller (20) comprises an evaluation device for evaluating an operation performed by the player by comparing the player""s control of the input device (4) with an operation identified by the timing data; and the block extracting device of the game controller extracts blocks having a level of difficulty corresponding to the evaluation of the evaluation device. In this case, the level of difficulty of the medley tune can be set in accordance with the evaluation result of the player""s operation.
An eighth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to one of the third to seventh aspects, the block extracting device of the game controller (20) comprising a re-extracting device for extracting one more blocks from multiple blocks, when the multiple blocks have been extracted in relation to a common reproduction sequence of the medley tune. Therefore, since the blocks forming the medley tune are selected from multiple blocks of matching type, the constitution of the medley tune can be changed by adding an operation, such as changing the selection conditions, so as to preventing the player from feeling bored with the medley tune.
A ninth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the sixth and seventh aspects, wherein the game controller (20) further comprises an evaluation device for evaluating an operation performed by the player by comparing the player""s operation of the input device (4) with an operation identified by the timing data. The block extracting device of the game controller comprises a re-extracting device for extracting one more block having a level of difficulty corresponding to the evaluation of the evaluation device from multiple blocks, when the multiple blocks have been extracted in relation to a common reproduction sequence of the medley tune.
Therefore, when the content of the play achieves a high evaluation, it is possible to provide a medley tune having a level of difficulty corresponding to the play contents, thereby suiting the level of the player, by giving priority during the selection to blocks having a high level of difficulty, and the like.
A tenth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the third aspect, wherein the game controller (20) comprises an end judging device for judging whether the medley tune has been reproduced to a predetermined position before the end, the first judgement information comprising information for judging whether each block of multiple blocks selected as potential constituent elements of the medley tune is suitable to an end of the medley tune; and, when the end judging device has judged that the medley tune has been reproduced to a predetermined position before the end, the block extracting device extracts an appropriate block as the end of the medley tune based on the first judgement information.
According to this invention, several blocks suitable for the end of the medley tune are selected beforehand, and the information for judging them are included in the first judgement information. Then, when the medley tune nears its end, one of the end blocks selected beforehand is selected and reproduced. Consequently, the medley tune is prevented from ending unnaturally at the middle way of the tune.
An eleventh aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the third aspect, wherein the game controller (20) comprises an evaluation device for evaluating an operation performed by the player by comparing the player""s operation of the input device (4) with an operation identified by the timing data while the tune is being reproduced; and an end control device for ending the reproduction of the medley tune and the guide of the operation procedure when an aggregation of evaluations, less than a predetermined reference, of the evaluation device has satisfied a predetermined condition.
According to this invention, when the player continues to perform operations which are evaluated as being less than a predetermined standard, the reproduction of the medley tune and the operation procedure guide end, and the game is terminated. Since the medley tune continues as long as the player achieves his or he operation above the predetermined standard, he or she can play continuously for a long time, which would not be realised by a tune prepared beforehand.
A twelfth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the game controller (20) gradually decreases the volume of a tune being reproduced at a linking portion of the medley tune, and gradually increases the volume of the next tune. According to this invention, the linking portions of the medley tune can be moved smoothly, whereby the player is able to listen to a unified tune which sounds as though it was composed in advance.
A thirteenth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to one of the first to twelfth aspects, wherein the memory device (30a) comprises a semiconductor memory. Using a semiconductor memory has an advantage that data can be read more quickly than a magnetic memory medium or an optical memory medium. Therefore, the music data can be read while the medley tune is being performed, enabling the medley tune to continue.
A fourteenth aspect of the invention provides a game control method, applied in a music game system comprising an input device (4) having multiple operation members (5), for outputting signals in correspondence with operation states of the operation members; a memory device (30a) in which are stored music data (D1) for reproducing multiple tunes, and timing data (D3) of each tune defining a procedure for controlling the operation members in correspondence with tunes reproduced based on the music data; a display device (24, 3) for displaying a game screen (100); and a music reproduction device (26, 32) for reproducing the music data. The game control method reproduces a medley tune comprising linked parts of at least two of the multiple tunes, and guides the operation procedure of the input device in correspondence with the medley tune, based on timing data corresponding to each part of the medley tune. The game system of the first aspect can be formed by utilizing the method of this invention.
A fifteenth aspect of the invention provides the game control method according to the fourteenth aspect, wherein the judgement information (T1) for judging a relationship between the reproduction sequence of multiple blocks (A1 to AX, B1 to BX, . . . N1 to NX) selected from music data corresponding to the multiple tunes as constituent elements of the medley tune, and addresses of the blocks in the memory device is stored in the memory device (30a), music data for reproducing the medley tune being read from the memory device based on the judgement information and output to the music reproduction device, and the player being guided in an operation procedure in accordance with timing data corresponding to the music data. The music game system of the second aspect can be formed by utilizing the method of this invention.
A sixteenth aspect of the invention provides the game control method according to the fourteenth aspect, wherein first judgement information (T2) for judging types of multiple blocks (A1 to AX, B1 to BX, . . . N1 to NX) selected from music data (D1) corresponding to the multiple tunes as potential constituent elements of the medley tune, and for judging addresses of the blocks in the memory device, and second judgement information (D5) for judging a relationship between a reproduction sequence of blocks forming the medley tune and the types of the blocks, are stored in the memory device; types of the blocks forming the medley tune for each reproduction sequence being identified based on the second judgement information, blocks corresponding to the types identified being extracted from the music data corresponding to the multiple tunes based on the first judgement information; the music data in the extracted blocks being read in compliance with the reproduction sequence and output to the music reproduction device, and in addition, timing data corresponding to the output music data being read, and an operation procedure being guided in the player in correspondence with the data. The music game system of the third aspect can be formed by utilizing the method of this invention.
A seventeenth aspect of the invention provides a computer-readable memory medium applied in a game system comprising an input device (4) having multiple operation members (5), for outputting signals in correspondence with operation states of the operation members, a display device (25, 3) for displaying a game screen (100), and a music reproduction device (26, 32), the computer-readable memory medium (30a) storing music data (D1) for reproducing multiple tunes using the music reproduction device, timing data (D3) of each tune defining a procedure for controlling the operation members in correspondence with tunes reproduced based on the music data, and a program for executing predetermined music game based on the music data and the timing data; the program making the computer (20) function as a medley tune control device for making the reproduction device reproduce a medley tune comprising linked parts of at least two of the multiple tunes, and guiding the operation procedure of the input device in accordance with the medley tune, based on timing data corresponding to the parts of the medley tune.
According to this invention, the computer reads and executes a program stored in the memory medium, thereby forming the music game system of the invention of the first aspect.
An eighteenth aspect of the invention provides the music game system according to the first aspect, wherein at least a portion of blocks (A1 to AX, B1 to BX, . . . N1 to NX) of music data (D1) corresponding to the multiple tunes are set as potential constituent elements of the medley tune, and information for extracting the constituent elements of the medley tune from the blocks set as potential constituent elements is stored in the memory device (30a) in correspondence with the blocks set as potential constituent elements; and the medley tune control device (20) extracts the blocks comprising the medley tune based on the information for extraction, reads the music data in the extracted blocks and outputs it to the music reproduction device (26 and 32) and reads timing data corresponding to the output music data, and guides the player in an operation procedure corresponding to the data. According to this invention, a variety of medley tunes can be formed by referring to the information for extracting, provided in correspondence with the blocks set as potential blocks for medley tunes.
A nineteenth aspect of the invention provides the game system according to the eighteenth aspect, wherein the information for extraction comprises information for judging types of blocks provided in correspondence with the information for extraction. Therefore, a block of a desired type can be selected by referring to the information for extracting. The information for judging the types need only be the same as in the fourth to sixth aspects, for example.
A twentieth aspect of the invention provides the game system according to the eighteenth aspect, wherein the information for extraction comprises information for judging types of blocks to be linked together as constituent elements of the medley tune after the blocks already provided in correspondence with the information for extraction. According to this invention, when the selection period or a block arrives while the preceding block is still being reproduced, the next block can be selected by referring to the information for extracting provided in correspondence with the block being reproduced.
A twenty-first aspect of the invention provides the game control method according to the fourteenth aspect, for setting at least a portion of the blocks (A1 to AX, B1 to BX, . . . N1 to NX) of music data (D1) corresponding to the multiple tunes as potential constituent elements of the medley tune; storing information for extracting the constituent elements of the medley tune from the blocks set as potential constituent elements in the memory device (30a) in correspondence with the blocks set as potential constituent elements; extracting the blocks forming the medley tune based on the information for extraction, reading the music data in the extracted blocks and outputing it to the music reproduction device (26, 32) and in addition, reading timing data corresponding to the output music data, and guiding the player in an operation procedure corresponding to the data. The music game system of the eighteenth aspect can be formed by utilizing the method of this invention.